African-Americans religious experience
covers broad landscape
Without thinking deeply about the origins of African-American
Christianity, some might assume that black people arrived in America
with their religion intact. But the truth is, most of the religions
practiced by slaves forced into this country were African and
Caribbean, some of which survive to this day in altered forms. Those religions -- including Islam, voodoo and Yoruba -- are
still practiced in the United States. In fact, Islam is one of
the fastest growing religions among African-American people in
the United States. The genesis of these doctrines reach far beyond black peoples
experiences in the United States. African-American Christianity
that emerged in the United States in the 1700s was the result
of evangelization by slave owners. In other words, the Christian
religion was forced on blacks just as the system forced their
labor and their entire lifestyle. All of this fascinating, and tragic, history can be found in
a new book, "Varieties of African American Religious Experience,"
by Anthony Pinn (Fortress Press, $20). The book reaches deep into
the history of black America to discover the origins of current
religious practice. In a recent interview, Pinn said religion in the African-American
community is just beginning to develop. "We have misunderstood the religious landscape in the
United States," he said. "And we have especially misunderstood
black religion believing that if you are black and religious you
are Christian." Pinn said there is evidence the slave trade in America began
in the 16th century, yet slaves were not evangelized into Christianity
until the 18th century. The questions for the historians are many. In that 200-year
period, how were African-Americans worshiping? Pinns research
shows black slaves were using their native religions to energize
their souls. Pinn himself visited a voodoo temple in New Orleans and witnessed
a ritual that included trances and the removal of negative energy. "This was accomplished by placing each person on her back,
one at a time, and spinning the person around. (The priestess)
then proceeded to move her hands over the person in a way that
symbolically removed negative influences and forces," he
said. Pinn says he is not experiencing these religions to determine
whether they are authentic or helpful. "It works for these
people," Pinn said. "Im interested in knowing
what the theological underpinnings are and the rituals. Im
not interested in the merits of these religions. My interest is
to do a description of the U.S. religious landscape." Sometimes finding authentic religious practices in America
is not an easy task. Those who practice native religions such
as Yoruba and voodoo often hide their involvement. Some may worship
in their Catholic or Protestant church on Sunday and practice
voodoo or Yoruba during the week. Pinn, a professor of religion at Macalester College in St.
Paul, Minn., also spent a week in a South Carolina community that
practices and teaches a modified version of Yoruba or Santeria.
The community is called Oyotunji Village and is headed by a chief,
Adefunmi, who was made king of the village during a 1982 visit
to Nigeria, Pinn said. Residents of the village are devoted to
the expansion of their religion. But, by far the best known religion being practiced in the
United States by African-Americans, other than Christianity, is
Islam, a religion that has flourished in many African and Middle
Eastern nations for hundreds of years. Most of us remember the
emergence of blacks in the Nation of Islam in the 1960s, but Pinn
says Islam can be traced to the early days of slavery. In 1930,
a man named W.D. Fard appeared in Detroit and became the earliest
proponent in America of a return to Islam. Fard became God incarnate to some blacks, including Elijah
Muhammad, the founder of the Nation of Islam, and one of his most
ardent followers, Malcolm X. Through all kinds of difficulties, Elijah Muhammad established
temples in the eastern United States and as far west as Chicago.
The Nation of Islam became a foundation for many young black people
across the United States. Pinn very carefully reconstructs the complicated history of
religion for black Americans and finds a rich tapestry of experiences
that may help shape their community in the 21st century.
Clark D. Morphew
Posted For February 20, 1999